Renegade Prince
by Hydro Dexter
Summary: Sometimes, those who struggle for something can be cheated of their reward. But if they continue to struggle, it is possible that their reward may, once again, be within reach. LingxLanFan
1. Celebrated Return

The scorching heat had temporarily subsided as the sun began to set. This provided a period of time for travelers to advance through the desert without getting permanently sunburned - if they were insane enough to cross it in the first place.

But there were some insane enough: Three immigrants driven by the pure desire to return to their homeland as soon as possible.

Ling could feel his legs ready to fall off. The first trip was brutal, but before, he had two trustworthy servants who had taken good care of him. This time, he only had one of his servants with him and instead of a reliable partner, he had to deal with a liability of a princess with a panda ready to bite his head off. Plus, his camels had decided to play "hide-and-go-seek" with him during the trip, only to get themselves eaten by desert coyotes, leaving them to walk on foot for a majority of the journey.

First order of business as soon as he is crowned Emperor of Xing: the construction of a railroad from Xing to Amestris. And a law demanding the full loyalty of camels across the world.

They had been traveling for a good three and a half months, but the longer he stayed in the desert, the more he longed to live inside the palace he would acquire as soon as he handed over the Philosopher's Stone. He had kept it safe around his neck in the form of a necklace, knowing full well that it was his only shot of becoming Emperor other than a battle royale, which he did not particularly prefer.

He looked behind him at Mei, whom he had regrettably brought along with him after the war with the Homunculli. Though the two were on better terms with each other since their old competition over the throne, they were often at odds, something that would take time to change.

As he made a closer inspection of her, he could see the fatigue in her posture, something that was visible in all three of them. They had agreed to try their best to tough out the tail end of the journey without stopping - a _huge_ mistake.

He looked over at Lan Fan, his trusted servant for over five years. He knew the desert journey had taken a toll on her, especially with her automail - all the more reason to get out as soon as he could. Though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was on the last of her energy supply. Not wanting to burden him with responsibilities, she had taken the duty to go hunt for food and find rare water reserves. She even went out of her way to scout for enemies during the night, though he couldn't think of a single person who would was stupid enough to travel through the desert during the summer besides himself. She was taking on the burdens both she and her late grandfather had divided between themselves during their last trip, thus wiping herself out.

He knew he was going to have to give her a _long_ break as soon as they reached Xing; a mandatory break, that is.

Lan Fan was beginning to pant, continually having to slow her pace as they ascended up a sandy hill. Each bag of luggage they brought with them was beginning to feel heavier and heavier on her back. She knew it was her responsibility to carry the load, and she didn't regret as long as she did it for her master.

But the burden on her body was beginning to take its toll. She found herself using all her energy just to prevent herself from falling onto the sand. Soon, her willpower lost to the fatigue of her body and she began to fall.

But she didn't fall.

Surprised that she didn't fall, she opened her eyes to see herself floating above the ground. This is what she had believed until she saw she was being carried on the shoulder of her master. "Young Master, you shouldn't be wasting your energy carrying me. If I am too tired to continue, you should just press on without me," she said, trying to shake loose from his grip. But Ling just smacked her on the head.

"Yeah, like I'm going to leave you behind now. Come on, Lan Fan, think! If I carried you through Central with Fuhrer Bradley and another Hommunculus trying to kill me, would I leave you while we're traveling through the desert just because you're tired? You're my most trusted vassal and there is no way I'm going to Xing without you," he said as he continued to make his way up the slope of sand.

Though she wouldn't say it out loud, she was deeply thankful to Ling. She had made mistakes in the past, many costly, but he just smiled away at her and told her not to worry. Not that she didn't worry, but it gave her a warm feeling inside to know that her master cared for her.

She didn't notice herself begin to blush as she was being carried, but Ling didn't let it go by unnoticed, suddenly letting out an evil smirk.

As she was lost in thought, she felt she was rising in the air. She was shocked, but didn't have the energy to squirm in the air and she descended into her master's arms. She looked at his face, which showed a playful and cheery mood. She couldn't help but blush at the position she was in now.

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

But Ling just continued to smile as he carried her in bridal style. "You looked a little out of it, so I decided to give you a little 'lift', you know what I mean?" he asked, smiling slyly.

"This is unfitting of a prince. You shouldn't be carrying your servants in such a manner!"

"Well, you are my servant, so I will order you to let me carry you in this position until I get tired of it," he ordered, knowing that she couldn't counter that.

Just as he had predicted, she wasn't able to find the words to react to his order. She knew there was no stopping him when he played his card of superiority, so she just decided to try and relax even the littlest bit.

"Ling Yao, hurry up!" Mei called to them at the top of the hill, urging him to start to run. His feet imprinted into sand as he stomped his way eagerly to the peak. Once he reached it, he looked out, taking in the view.

"Xing, your soon-to-be Crowned Prince has come back!" letting out the biggest smile he could.

* * *

><p>The small village was bustling with farmers transporting their goods. Unlike in Central, most of the produce in Xing is grown locally and quickly sent to the market.<p>

Salesmen filled the streets, offering merchandise ranging from little trinkets to carriages for transportation. The sound of children gleefully running around filled the street; it was a sound Ling very much enjoyed growing up. He was taking in much of his surroundings, almost to the point where he had forgotten about his ravenous hunger.

But a man of Xing can never forget about his hunger for food.

Just as he was giving himself condolences for his hunger, he noticed the grand opening of a new restaurant. An _Amestrian_ restaurant. Immediately, he let out another evil smirk and looked behind him, asking, "Hey guys. Do you guys want to eat?"

Suprisingly, they were still there, standing behind him and giving him strange looks.

"Of course we don't. We're just starving after fasting for the past two days," Mei said sarcastically, followed by a yell from Xiao Mei.

"Well, I've found the perfect place. But just follow my lead," walking ahead of them. But both Mei and Lan Fan looked questioningly as they walked in the Amestrian restaurant.

* * *

><p>"Tell me why we're running again?"<p>

"Because, we ordered three orders of everything and I didn't have any money. But don't worry, I left the guy the card of a _certain_ former State Alchemist. I'm pretty sure he'll pay the bill for me," smiling gleefully as he imagined him getting the bill.

"I almost feel sorry for Edward," Mei said as they continued to run.

"Young Master, you must get over this habit of yours. I don't believe eating and running is respectable anywhere," Lan Fan scolded.

"I already told you. I'll fix these habits when I become emperor. It's not like I'll-" he stopped walking, as did Lan Fan. Mei looked at them questioningly, but walked back towards them.

"What's the matter?" she asked. The two were stagnant as they looked out.

"We're... home," he said, slowly walking through the small dirt path before him. The three kept walking until they reached two large manors surrounded by trees and a lake in the background.

They walked closer until one of the women spotted them, dropping her broom and running into towards the buildings and yelling something they couldn't hear quickly. Immediately, crowds of people stormed towards them and nearly crushed them.

None of them could understand anything they were saying since they were all asking different things at the same time until a loud whistle silenced the crowd.

Ling looked over to where the sound came from and saw someone walking slowly towards him. "M-mom?" She had black hair tied up in a bun and wore a red Kimono over her frail and short body.

But as he was watching her, he felt someone tackle him to the ground. He knocked his head against the ground and laid motionless. "Oh no, did I kill him? I thought he was stronger than that!" sighing, somewhat disappointed.

"Of course I'm not dead, stupid," he said to her, punching her on the shoulder.

"Brother, that hurt!" she pouted, rubbing her shoulder where Ling punched her. She was around five-foot five and unlike a majority of the women in her clan, wore white shorts that hugged her legs tightly and a short sleeved shirt just screaming "Pink". She wore her hair in a pony tail tied with a red ribbon.

She turned towards Lan Fan, a servant for her clan for over five years, and smiled at her. "Lan Fan! It's so good to see you!" hugging her. Lan Fan almost let out a groan of pain, but managed to keep it silent. Lan Fan just smiled as she hugged the sister of her master.

"Hey, Sayaka," putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Give her some space. She's still sore from the journey," Ling defended, getting her to let go of the embrace.

"What? Did you overwork her again? Well, you always were so lazy," she smirked, sticking out her tongue in rebellion towards her brother. "And who's this little girl? Ling, don't tell me you're cheating on Lan Fan for this kid," causing all three of them to blush.

"It's not like that!"

"Sayaka, you're always jumping to bad conclusions."

"Why would I be with this loser? My heart belongs to Sir Alphonse," Mei said dreamily.

"Come on, I was just teasing," chuckling, looking around for a second. "Say, where's Fu?" she asked.

She regretted asking. Immediately, the three traveler's faces turned sullen and their bodies started to hang. She could especially see the pain from Ling and Lan Fan's faces.

Ling opened his bag and showed them a box nicely wrapped with a bow-tie. His mother walked up to him, holding the box. "When was this?"

"It was at the tail end of the battle."

"How did he die?"

"He died protecting me," regret still lingering in his voice.

His mother just stood there, looking at the box, and then back at her son. "Well, he died a worthy death. Just find a place to bury him in the garden and leave him be," giving him back the box and walking away.

Ling tensed up with fury. He stared at his mother and let out a roar. "He died a worthy death? He didn't deserve to die! He was one of the best servants our clan has ever had, and you just throw him away like that? Don't you feel the slightest bit upset at his death? He deserves the most honorable burial possible!"

"No! I'm already giving him enough honor to let him be buried in the garden. Remember, he was a servant. They are replaceable."

Ling snapped and his face showed as much anger as he could draw out. He couldn't hold it in any longer and charged towards her, only to get pinned down by two other servants. His mother looked back at her restrained son for a moment before turning away and walking back to the manor.

She walked in and kneeled beside a candle in prayer. She almost didn't notice someone come in behind her. "What do you need, Sayaka?"

"Why did you say that? We know you cared for Fu deeply. All you did was hurt Ling psychologically."

"I know. But Ling needs to learn not to dwell on the past. Though he has an extremely lax and fun-loving nature, he is very philosophical and is always deep in thought, especially about the past," she said, not turning towards her daughter. "He needs to grow up so he can take the status of Emperor of Xing."

"You know he's still a kid. There's no way he'll be able to grow up just from this."

"I know. But looking at him, I can tell he has faced many hardships and obstacles during his journey. Did you notice Lan Fan's arm?"

"What do you mean? Is there something wrong with it or something?" Sayaka asked.

"It was an automail arm. Though not many know of its existence here in Xing, it is a metal limb that functions as a replacement of a lost limb. She probably lost that arm protecting Ling."

"He must be going through a lot of pain right now."

"Yes," she started. "And that is exactly why he needs to first let go of Fu's death and forget his mistakes. If he cannot do that, he will be swallowed up with guilt and pain. Now, leave me to my prayers."

Sayaka complied and walked out of the manor, leaving the older woman alone in front of the candle.

_Fu, you were a great warrior. Your soul had known no peace since that time so many years ago. I hope you find peace up above any star in the universe. _

* * *

><p>Night had hit the lush mountain range where their clan resided. There had been a celebration for the return of the Prince, and though she was of a different clan, Mei was allowed to enjoy and party with the Yao Clan. Many were still enjoying themselves on the outside of the manors, even to the point that few had noticed the disappearance of the man they were celebrating for.<p>

Ling sat on the side of the lake, staring at what little reflection he could see in the dim lighting. Normally, he would be partying to his heart's content, but he had a lot on his mind since his return.

"Master, shouldn't you be in the party?" he turned around to see not his masked servant, but a beautiful woman clad in a pink yukata with orchid designs across it. Her hair had been let down and shined from the moon's rays.

He hadn't even noticed that he was nearly gaping at her, but he shook this off and managed a response. "What about you? I bet there would be many men in this clan who would love to have a dance with you."

"No respectable man would want to dance with a servant. And if they wanted to, I would reject them soundly," she answered, moving awkwardly towards Ling. Well, it was his fault she was dressed so in a yukata. It was "orders" that she dressed out of her uniform and he shot her down whenever she tried to object. It was a lovely yukata, but it was just so hard to move around in. To her embarrassment, she had almost tripped over her yukata on multiple occasions.

"Sure they would. Especially someone as cute as you," he said, teasing her. But it was the truth. She did look amazing.

The lack of light hid Lan Fan's blush from him. She always hated it when he teased her like that.

She looked at her master and saw his hand pointing down. And unless he wanted her to pick something up, it probably meant that he wanted her to sit down next to him. Not wanting to disobey him, she plopped down next to him and looked up towards the stars.

"How do you feel?" Lan Fan looked towards him, confused.

"What do you mean, Young Master?"

"I mean, about everything that has happened in the past couple of months. With the loss of your arm, and Fu's death, you must be going through much turmoil. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, just like I was before," he said.

He didn't want to be subtle about this. He knew his servant well. Her world was probably turned upside down during his journey. And for what? All for his selfish desires for a crown.

"It is not of your concern, Young Master. You have other things to worry about that are of more importance than my condition," she heard him get up, but even for her, it was tough to see where he was. But that was until she felt an arm around her shoulder.

"You know, it's not good to keep things bottled up, Lan Fan. You should learn to open up to others. Letting others know what you are going through allows them to share your pain so there is less of a burden on you," even through the dark, she knew he was smiling. It was a calming smile most likely, a smile she had seen on his face a lot.

"Hey," grabbing her attention, "When I'm Emperor, will you stay by my side?"

Honestly, it was a stupid question. He knew the given answer, but right now, he couldn't believe anything unless it's said right in his face.

Lan Fan looked questioningly. Did he not trust her? Was he unsure of her dedication? She just decided to answer, not knowing why he asked this random question. "O-of course, Young Master. Why would I not?"

He smiled. "That's good. I need someone by my side. Someone I can confide in during the dark times."

Lan Fan almost forgot that his arm was around her shoulder as they sat, looking at the stars. It was a long time since they were able to relax as they did at the moment. Searching all of Amestris for a Philosopher's Stone and fighting off Hommunculli made her appreciate the quiet times she had. But she never let her guard down. It was her lack of attention that lost her her arm, and she didn't want a moment of lost thought to be the downfall of her master.

"Hey, I suggest you get out of that bush before you get in trouble with us," Ling shouted, the two turning around to see who it was. "The Peony Flower. You are of the Royal Guard, correct?"

"Yes, you are correct, Ling Yao, twelfth son of the Emperor of Xing. There has been a request made to you from the palace." This got their attention quickly.

"His Excellency wants to see you in person tomorrow."


	2. Visit to the Palace

**A note before I continue: Though this takes place during the epilogue of FMA, there have been a couple of changes, which will continue to be seen throughout this fanfic.**

**And before I forget, I do not own FMA, though I dearly wish I did...**

* * *

><p>The sun was at it's peak on an unusually humid day in Xing. Usually, most would not be outside on a day like this, but there was a spectacle on the outskirts of the desert border. Many Xingese merchants and citizens crowded around together, speaking amongst themselves as they stood above three unconscious bodies.<p>

Their voices were blurred to the boy on the ground as he began to wipe his eyes with his hands, able to hear gasps of shock from the people. He looked at them with his golden eyes and tried to stand up. A shock of pain spread through his body as he eventually gave in to just sitting. Maybe if he hadn't been travelling through the desert for three months, this would not be such a painful ordeal.

He looked at his two companions, both still noticeably fatigued as they slept like logs on the open street. By this time, most of the people had left, some because they had lives, and others because they were scared that the golden-eyed boy was a zombie. This he was not.

He nudged both of his companions, trying to arouse them from their slumber, eventually able to get the two to awake.

"Alphonse, isn't it a bit early to be waking us up like that?" Zampano asked. He still looked the same since the war. His glasses covered the tiredness in his eyes as he tried to stand up.

Next to him, another man let out a big yawn as he looked blankly at the two. He looked at his surroundings, but was too tired to show shock at his current location. "Why are we in the middle of the street?"

"Don't ask me. When I woke up, there was a giant load of Xingese people crowding around us. It'd be an educated guess to believe that they thought we were dead," Alphonse answered. His voice had lowered during their journey, but not too noticeably. He had gotten slightly tanner from his desert journey and seemed to have grown a couple inches in height.

"Man, I wonder what these Xingese people are made of, being able to cross the desert like it's nothing," Jerso asked as the three were now standing up. Like Zampano, his appearance was still much similar to that before the desert journey.

"Don't worry. We won't be here long. All we're doing is going to greet Ling, congratulate him on become Emperor, and staying with Mei for a few days. After that, we'll head back," Al summarized.

"Wait, we're going back so soon? I don't want to go back in there ever again! I was running for my life from the sandstorms we encountered," Zapano exclaimed in fear.

"I'm sorry, but I promised Winry that I'd come home soon. Brother also made his way west for a bit and he'll be back home soon. Anyways, let's get something to eat. Otherwise, I think my stomach will start to eat itself! After that, let's try to find Mei," Al suggested, beginning to walk before his companions realized it. Though he didn't want to admit it out loud, he really wanted to see her. It was great to be with his brother and all in his new body, but he was still missing a warm feeling inside him, and he knew where he could find it.

Once they realized the golden-haired boy begin to walk, they scurried towards him and walked at his sides. "Are you sure we should be trying to find her? This is a big country. What are the odds of us finding her?" Jerso asked as they continued to walk.

"Don't worry. We'll find her," he smiled smugly as they arrived at a certain Amestrian restaurant. "Hey, let's eat here."

* * *

><p>He stood in his room, looking through his closet of clothing. Though he didn't have many different sets of clothes, he felt the need to at least dress reasonably decent.<p>

To say he was extremely nervous was a HUGE understatement.

To be personally asked to be seen by the Emperor of Xing was one of the biggest honors for any Xingese citizen, even for family. His head was spinning, wondering how he was going to speak to the Emperor, the man he had always aspired to be.

He was tired of looking at the same pair of clothes for the past 3 hours and decided to lay on his bed. He looked up towards the ceiling, losing his thoughts in the blandness of the white paint.

"Young Master, it is time to depart," his servant said, kneeling behind the door to his room.

"You can come in, Lan Fan," he said, sounding like he wasn't even going to get out.

"But Young Master, it is would be very unfitting for a lowly servant like me to-"

"Come in, Lan Fan!" a faint hint of impatience lingering in his voice. His servant looked to the left and right before cautiously opening the door to her master's room.

White walls surrounded the room. There wasn't too much inside his room except for swords hung on the wall and a futon on the ground with a closet to the side. There were a couple of plants on a table along with a picture surrounded with a golden frame.

It was a picture of him, his sister, his mom and herself years ago, before she was even eligible to be a servant for the clan. This made her slightly blush, but Ling didn't seem to notice.

"You should get dressed, Young Master. It is already time to depart," she suggested. But he just continued to lay on his bed, staring upward. Though she would never say it out loud, this slightly irritated her as she silently pouted to herself.

Eventually, he got up and began walking towards the door, motioning his servant to come follow him. Confused, she just decided to tag along. They walked through the house past all the intricate rooms and valuable antiques until they made it to the exit, where they were greeted by Ling's mother and sister.

"Ling, you call that getting dressed up? You're not going to eat a noodle shack down the street. You're going to see the Emperor of Xing! THE EMPEROR OF XING!" she yelled in his face. He was wearing the outfit he used when he had assimilated with Greed and he had grown accustomed to it.

But he knew she was right. He needed to dress more properly, especially since it was to go see the Emperor of Xing. But he was too lazy to go back and change, plus the fact that he didn't have good clothes because of his absence. So he just found it reasonable to just stick to his current outfit.

"Also, the guard is waiting at the gate. And don't worry, we'll take care of the Chang girl for you," Sayaka smiled cheerfully. Ling gave her a wave as the two walked towards the entrance. He took a look back towards his mother, who was looking away gloomily. He couldn't see her face due to his angle, but he quickly turned his head away, guilt filling his mind.

They eventually made their way to the gate, where a man clad in black with a black-striped mask of a dragon awaited them. The symbol of the Royal Guard, the Peony Flower, was visible on the man's shoulders and on a black bandanna above his mask. He bowed before the prince, who would signal him to stand. To Ling's surprise, the servant was even taller than he thought, but didn't show his apparent shock.

"Lead the way," Ling said, the two speedily making their way away from the Yao Clan premises.

* * *

><p>The restaurant was filled with the sounds of two voracious chimeras chomping down on whatever was remaining of what they had ordered (three orders of everything). Alphonse was sitting behind them, nervously smiling as the two continued to eat to their hearts content. Luckily, his brother had lent him a credit card linking to his bank account, so he didn't have to worry about the cost of it all.<p>

By now, the few customers who were even eating at the place watched in slight awe and disgust at the two men as they showed little to no etiquette, slovenly stuffing food in their mouths.

"Ah, I'm stuffed!" Zampano yelled, getting up and beginning to walk.

"Where do you think you're going?" he heard a loud, cranky voice yell at him from across the room. He looked over to see a stout man with gray hair and glasses glaring at him.

"Sheesh, I'm just going to the toilet," walking away, feeling slightly irritated at the stoutly man staring at him.

Alphonse looked over at the man questioningly. He turned to his right to talk to a passing customer and asked, "Hey, do you know why that man is so irritated?"

"Oh, I heard that yesterday, there were three travelers who came by. They ordered three orders of everything on the menu, and sneaked out before the owner noticed. He was extremely upset about it and was about to go on a fit. But he calmed down slightly when he saw a business card and a note, which said, 'Send the bill to this guy'," the man answered.

_I feel sorry for the poor sap who has to pay for those guys... _Al thought to himself. He looked over to see Zampano out of the bathroom and Jerzo still standing at the table.

"Alright, time to head out!" Al exclaimed, heading towards the door.

"AHEM!"

"Not without paying," he added, making his way to the cash register at the front. "Make this out to Edward Elric, former State Alchemist..."

* * *

><p>"And here's the estate," the guard said, showing them a large, tan building with a sparkling ruby rooftop. Even for Ling, this was quite the building as he couldn't help but express his awe for the building.<p>

"Wow, this is the palace?"

When the guard looked towards where they were looking, he blinked his eyes and looked one more time and said, "Oh, my apologies. I pointed you in the wrong direction. This is the guard's quarters," Ling's jaw immediately dropping to the floor. "Here, let me show you to the palace. But a bit of a warning: it is quite humongous."

Saying it was humongous was a HUGE understatement.

Off in the distance behind to the side of the guard's quarters was a palace surrounded with a large garden. The garden alone was larger than the guard's quarters. From what they could see, there were many different flower species all gathered together in large, bouquet-like patches. There was a wooden bridge across a large koi pond, though there weren't too many koi fish.

The palace itself was built with what looked like solid gold and even the foundation and pillars were built with fancy marble and rubies respectively.

As Ling was slowly taking in the surroundings, he didn't notice that both the guard and Lan Fan were already up the vast stairway towards the palace entrance.

Not surprisingly, the inside of the palace was as, if not more, magnificent than outside. Intricate, decorative patterns of symbols and characters filled the rugs and wallpaper. Many of the world's rarest pieces of art, a quantity that would take years to find, was laid upon pillars of white marble.

Each room flowed with another and made the palace seem like one giant room with doorways, though that was what a house was.

Ling was looking around in awe, until his attention was caught by the guard. "Hey," turning towards the prince. "What's your name?"

"My name is of no importance to a Prince of Xing. I am but a lowly servant," the guard answered, a hint of sorrow hidden in his words. Ling looked towards him, and then to his own servant. She was currently masked as well, it being a custom for servants to always be masked inside the Royal Palace. He didn't reply.

They eventually made it to the door leading towards the palace. The door was decorated with golden crests of dragons and lions. Rubies glowed from the door. The guard slowly backed away from the door. The sound of a mask dropping could be heard by the two, giving them a glance at the left side of his face.

Burns scarred his face to the point that they could not be healed. But they couldn't get a closer look as his mask was picked up from the ground and put back on his face before making his way out of the waiting hall.

As Ling was thinking about the mysterious servant, he almost didn't notice the opening of the throne room. But Lan Fan quickly grabbed his attention and pulled him down to bow.

Sitting on the throne was a plump old man dressed in regal clothing. There was an aura around him that could be felt from the end of the room. But to Lan Fan, the aura seemed ominous, yet strangely, and horrifyingly familiar.

"Come forward," the Emperor called loudly in a deep, authoritative tone, the two making their way closer to the throne until the were only a few feet away from him. "From what I have heard, you have gotten your hands on something relating to immortality?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. During our time in Amestris, we have got our hands on a Philosopher's Stone, an stone that gave birth to immortal creatures called hommunculi."

"Hmm, sounds interesting. Show me this "stone"," Ling pulling it out from under his shirt. The red stone glistened in the artificial light of the throne room, and the Emperor's eyes grew large with excitement... and desire.

"Good work, Prince of Yao. I will now award you with what you want: the throne," he announced, shocking the two tremendously.

"Wait, Your Excellency. Isn't it too soon for me to inherit the throne?"

"Nonsense, young prince. Being emperor is too much work, and I'd like to pass it on to someone who seems like they can pull off the job, and I think that's you, Prince of Yao," he announced, holding out a sapphire scepter. "Lan Fan, if you don't mind, please step away."

Lan Fan looked suspiciously at the emperor. From what she had heard from her grandfather, the emperor was extremely strict and would never give away his throne to anyone in his lifetime. So why was he giving it to Ling without any hesitance? And most of all, how in the world did the emperor know her name? She slowly stepped away, but made sure she was close enough to react to any trouble.

Ling, on the other hand, immediately became ecstatic. His heart started pounding excitingly. All the pains, all the sufferings, all the sacrifices and all the mourning finally becoming worthwhile. His goal was imminent. There was nothing that could his glory away from him. The chance to become emperor was just a grasp away. All he had to do was grab the scepter, and...

But he never grabbed it.

He looked down to see a blade thrust into his chest, blood slowly dripping from the wound and seething into the carpet. He looked at the emperor with a look of disbelief. The emperor was grinning. But it wasn't any grin. It was _that_ grin. The grin he had loathed his entire life, and knew he shouldn't have seen it ever again. But here he was, looking straight at the emperor, tricked into letting his guard down and stabbed by a sword, and faced with a grin that made his blood boil with hatred.

And in a voice all too familiar to them, he said in a creaky, deep and sinister tone, "It's been a long time, Squinty Eyes."

Ling stared at the throne of his country, shocked see the man he despised most sitting where he belonged. "...you! You were supposed to be executed by our father!" but he saw blood gush from his gut and soon fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>I'm very grateful to those of you who have read this fanfic, and especially to <strong>a writer of fics<strong>, **yourlifeinwords, **and** aki-child** for reviewing! A big thanks also to the others who favorited and subscribed! Hope to see more of those as the story progresses! :D


	3. Unexpected Turnabout

Ling laid crippled on the ground, the blood from his wound slowly soaking his robes. Above him stood the man of whom all his hatred and anger fell upon. Anger and pain filled his body and wanted to get up and stab the man with the swords on his back. But his body would not cooperate. Instead, he was left to appear like a helpless child, and scream with all his hatred.

"That's right. Let all your hatred out. Show how helpless you really are. Because you really are helpless, Squinty Eyes," he said with a sinister grin placed on his face. He looked as if he was playing with the younger prince, and Ling's frustration only grew. "Now let's see... What would be a fitting death for my dear little brother?" unsheathing his sword.

But before he could pull it out, it was disarmed, flying into the wall behind him. He looked to see a servant very familiar to him. "Ah, Lan Fan. How nice is it to see you again!" he smiled. But behind this smile, both Ling and Lan Fan could sense malicious intent.

Lan Fan felt fortunate to be wearing her mask, because if not, she would be displaying a true show of hatred and pain. Her eyes started to water, but none of the two men noticed until a tear drop slid from her mask, though this was only noticed by Ling.

"Lan Fan! What are you doing? Run while you can! Leave me! Don't let yourself get killed by him!" Ling screamed. Each sentence seemed hoarser and hoarser as his voice started to weaken. In fact, his body in general was starting to dismantle due to the loss of blood. Lan Fan looked back at him and then faced her enemy. She pushed him into the throne chair and then stabbed him with two kunais from her side.

Fresh blood stains soon formed in the throne, and it was quite clear that he was pissed. But he didn't let his anger out. "Neither of you noticed the situation you guys just created for yourselves, have you?" still sitting slouched in his chair. "You guys caused quite a ruckus. And I bet the guards will be here any minute to hunt after you for killing the Emperor of Xing!"

The two looked shocked. It was true that he had taken the disguise of the Emperor prior to this event, and neither really thought about where the real man was.

"It was fun while it lasted, but I know I will see you two again. And that will most likely be in the dungeon waiting to be executed!" he laughed hysterically as the throne chair rotated into the wall and hid him from view. As the wall rotated, it revealed a duplicate chair with another man sitting on the throne.

This was the Emperor. His hair gray and stained with blood from a wound in the head. The two looked shocked as they looked at the cold, now feeble body of the former ruler of their country. But the throne room door soon slammed open; five guards quickly surrounding the injured Ling with swords at his neck.

"Ling Yao, twelfth son of His Excellency, and prince of the Yao Clan. You are under arrest for treason against your country in the act of killing His Excellency. Any sign of resistance will result in immediate execution," one of the guards exclaimed to him.

Lan Fan looked at them, and then at the scared, fearful eyes of her master. It was a rare sight to see her master in such a state, and to her, it meant that she had failed to protect him.

The five guards stabbed their swords towards the prince, but none had made contact. Lan Fan kneeled next to Ling, holding his head down with her right hand and skillfully blocking all five strikes with a kunai. Before the guards could react, she let loose a smoke bomb that filled the palace room.

She hastily made her way out of the throne room with Ling slung on her shoulder. But hot on her trail were many guards ready to strike. Ling did his best to cover her back, but in his condition, he was able to do little if not nothing to help.

Behind her mask, she grimaced in pain as a bullet from a sniper lodged into her right shoulder. But she held in the pain and continued to run through the endless halls of the palace.

To her, this would be nothing compared to the pains they would have to endure in the imminent future.

It had felt like an eternity, but she was finally out of the cursed palace and she ran towards the forest. But unfortunately, she wasn't being chased by a group of inexperienced fighters. These were Royal Guards that were very adept to fighting in various terrain and conditions.

Ling looked at the ground. He didn't want to look up in fear of what was happening. He could feel the heavy panting from Lan Fan. Plus, the fact that he knew she was still fatigued from their trip in the desert didn't really make him feel any better of himself. "I guess the roles have been reversed this time..." he said to himself, but it didn't seem like Lan Fan had heard.

"Lan Fan," he whispered weakly. She immediately turned, shocked by her master.

"Young Master! You should be resting! You're still severely injured!" she exclaimed. He looked at her, and then to his side. He still had the twin blades. He was quite lucky he decided to bring them. Though instead of trying to prove his worth to the Emperor, he would maybe have to fight off guards on par or even stronger than Fu.

But it was his job to protect his subordinates. He had failed once, but he would not fail now. Especially with his most precious subordinate's life in danger. He grabbed at the hilt to his side. But he felt a hand block his own.

"Young Master, I will not let you do so. It is my sworn duty to-"

"Lan Fan, I'm not going to let you die because of my weakness. I can hold them off just long enough so you can flee away from them. Just let me go!" he yelled, trying to flee from her grasp. He looked over to see two guards hopping past a couple trees close by. "Damn, those persistent bastards," about to lift up his sword. But a force came down upon his head. "Ow!" rubbing his head. "Lan Fan, why did you do that?"

"It'd be stupid to try to fight them, especially in your condition, Young Master. All we can do is run and try to lose them," continuing to run. They made their way to a cave hidden in the thick of the forest. They waited for about an hour, but it didn't seem like anyone was searching.

"Are they gone?" Ling asked, Lan Fan inching closer to the entrance of the cave, seeing guards heading in the opposite direction. She shook her head and immediately Ling released a sigh of relief.

"Damn, those bastards..." slowly descending down until he was lying down on the cave floor.

Lan Fan looked at her master, who's face was filled with grief. She couldn't help but slightly express her pain at the sight of him. She looked down at her body and could feel the pain coursing through her. But she ignored this at the thought of the man who had caused her master great pain.

But why did he have to be back? Wasn't he supposed to be dead? Questions plagued her mind as she continued to lose herself in her thoughts.

"Is it about Xu Rei?" he asked, knowing he had hit the bullseye. When it came to his younger servant, he knew if she was hiding something she didn't want to talk about. And most of the time, he has found ways to force her to speak.

This time, she didn't seem reluctant to answer and nodded yes. But what had an effect on him wasn't he answer, but the tears almost hidden from view.

"You still remember that day, don't you?" he asked, not getting a reply. But he wasn't surprised by this.

He looked at her, not in a pitying way, but he looked as if he wanted to help. He moved closer to her, close enough where their bodies made contact.

"Master," she finally spoke out. "It is unfitting for someone like you to be showing sympathy for a lowly servant."

He placed his finger at his mouth, trying to get her to be quiet. "Lan Fan, rest. You've been through so much today. Just forget today and close your eyes," Ling said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

If it wasn't for the fact that she had her mask on, Lan Fan would've been embarrassed after hearing what he had said. But she decided to listen to her master, knowing he would've made her go to sleep no matter what.

She took off her mask, placed it at her side, and closed her eyes, wishing that she could forget about all the struggles of today.

* * *

><p>"Anything to report, Lieutenant?" a low, commanding voice asked as the raven-haired man sat back in his swivel chair.<p>

"Not today, Colonel. So far, the people are abiding to the reformation of the laws," a woman with long, flowing gold hair answered. She stood upright in front of the desk as she talked to the man.

"That's good. And also, remember, I'm not a Colonel anymore. Call me Brigadier-General," he said teasingly. Since the war ended and he got his promotion, she had, on occasion, called him Colonel. He knew she wouldn't be able to get out of the habit, but he found it fun to tease her about it.

So far, things had gone according to the plan he and Grumman, or The Fuhrer, had formulated. He wasn't supposed to be at the office for another two weeks because of his recovering sight, but he insisted that he was ready to work. And despite what had happened, he only has trouble adjusting to flashing lights and vibrant colors, which did, of course, include the general uniform for all soldiers in the military.

"Colonel Mustang!" a loud voice yelled as the door slammed open. Well, the door being "slammed open" was an understatement. The door broke on both sides, being left on the ground as rubble. Emerging from the dust stood a tall, muscular (shirtless), nearly bald man holding up his arms in admiration for his biceps.

"Oh, hello Colonel Armstrong. It's been a long time," Mustang said, ignoring the fact that Armstrong mixed up his rank. The Colonel made his way towards the desk to greet the two.

"Yes it has been, Colonel-I mean Brigadier General Mustang. Excuse me for the mix-up. And how are you, Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkeye? It's been a while since I've seen you also."

"I'm good, Colonel. Thank you," Hawkeye politely greeted as she bowed to her superior, Armstrong also showing respect with a short bow.

"Hey Colonel," wagging his fingers, signalling Armstrong to head over to Mustang.

"Have you heard anything from Xing yet about the alliance request?" Mustang asked, careful to keep his voice quiet. If there was one thing Mustang had learned over the years as an experienced military officer, it's that there are only so few people you can really trust.

"Unfortunately, there hasn't been a letter of approval for the request. We actually have not gotten any news from Xing since," Armstrong answered.

"Maybe we can ask the Elric brothers. They were closer to them than us."

"But you see, Brigadier-General, Alphonse Elric is heading East in the direction of Xing. If I am correct, he should have reached Xing already, while Edward is heading Westward," but it appeared as though Mustang was not taking in the information. "Should we inform Alphonse about this matter?"

"No need. I sent a couple soldiers to Xing by the leadership of First Lieutenant Maria Ross. She's been to Xing before, so she knows a good path back. They will inform me if something is up," Mustang answered. Almost immediately, clamorous footsteps were heard coming towards the room.

"Brigadier-General, I have a few words to - Wait, what happened to your door?" the man asked. He was young with dark-red hair that was short, but stuck upward. He had a strong stature, but more on the shorter side than others. His face still looked ignorant of the pains and sufferings of battle, and still had a glean in his eyes that few had for his current occupation.

"Oh, Second-Lieutenant. Just on time. Here, come with me," getting up and walking towards another room behind his desk. "Lieutenant, if anyone asks, tell them to leave a note. And Colonel... fix my door!" walking into the room before silently closing it as if he was hiding something.

Armstrong looked over to Hawkeye after the door shut and asked, "Who was that young lad? I've never seen him around Central."

"Honestly, I'm not too sure myself," shrugging her shoulders. "From what I've seen in the Brigadier-General's notes, he's a man from a foreign country to the west, but I forgot the name of the country he is from. And from the notes on his training stats, he is apparently a decent fighter also," she answered.

"That will be good. Maybe I can get to know him later in the future," flexing his muscles, eventually tearing his shirt. "And he can maybe learn from the master of the art of muscles!"

"Maybe that's not a very good idea, Colonel," she muttered to herself as she got back to cleaning. It felt weird calling anyone besides THE Colonel, Colonel. She looked around the room and, surprisingly, it looked quite decent, not including the "welcome present" from Armstrong. But that was probably because Mustang has only been in the office for three days, not even full days.

She looked over at the door and, to her amazement, it was already fixed. "I've fixed the door, now, if you'll excuse me, I have to head on off," walking outside the door.

"Okay, take care Colonel," she said before the door slammed shut.

* * *

><p>"Did it succeed?" a man asked with authority as he walked into the room from the stairs.<p>

A body laid on the ground, looking to have been sucked of all its life force. A man with a lab coat turned himself towards the staircase into the room, which was hidden in darkness.

"I'm afraid not, Your Excellency. Another failed project. The thirtieth for the day..." the man answered, pointing to the other "failed subjects". He rubbed his spectacles on a napkin to remove the blood from the lenses. From his face, he appeared to have aged much. He had black hair that was slowly losing its color and appeared to be quite stout.

"I'm not surprised at the failure. It's only the first day, and we have many more "sacrifices" to test out," standing out into the light of the room to reveal himself. Jet-black spiky hair covered his 6-foot body. His eyes were young, yet full of malice and his face currently showed little emotion. "I have somewhere to go tonight to help further my plan, so for now, you can rest," walking away from the artificial light and into the darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, it's been forever since I updated. I'm very sorry about the delay. I can't really make promises, since I've failed in many of them, but I'll try to stay more focused on writing.<strong>

**I'd like to thank MoonlitInuko, a writer of fics, and Girls in White Dresses for reviewing. Also, a thanks to those who favorited and subscribed. And I can't forget to thank you for continuing to read this fanfic!**

**Also, I've made a change to chapter 2 at the beginning. It may not be major, but it could explain why I've had Al head to Xing so early. I actually just thought of this, so that's why I just added it.**

**Happy Writing/Reading to you all! :D**

**PS: Let me know if you like my new summary better. I'm still in the process of thinking of a good summary for this fanfic. And if you have any suggestions, PLEASE let me know!**


	4. Fear the Grin

_The smell of burnt wood. Usually a pleasant, nostalgic scent. But it gave off a pungent smell that hampered her breathing as she continued to run as fast as her little legs could take her. As she ran, she constantly looked back to see if her pursuer was still present._

_She couldn't see him, continuing to run with her head facing behind her, continually searching through the thick of the fire, until she finally bumped into something. And it just so happened to be her pursuer that she had bumped into. He was currently cloaked in a black cloak, so a majority of his features were hidden._

_She tried running, but her black hair was tugged up and she found herself dangling from the air. She stared into the eyes of the man. They were dark, malicious black eyes that highlighted his evil, yet inscrutable smile._

_He held a knife at her neck. He didn't say a word. Neither did she._

_**"Lan Fan..."**_

_The only thing that broke the silence was the man's malevolent laughter as he was about to slice her head off._

_**"Lan Fan..."**_

_She closed her eyes in fear. **"LAN FAN!"**_

She woke up, startled. She looked to see Ling standing above her, seeming slightly agitated. His eyes appeared slightly fatigued and it seemed like he was the one who had the nightmare. She felt her cheeks and it felt quite moist possibly from sweat... or tears?

Possibly the screaming that she had done in her dream had occurred in real life, and reliving those memories could have possibly caused her the tears.

"Lan Fan, are you okay?" snapping her out of her thought process. She nodded normally, like she was agreeing with Ling, and looked away gloomily. But he would have to be a blind **and** deaf person to not notice something wrong with her.

"Lan Fan, I know you had a nightmare," trying to get her attention. She slowly turned her head to see his determined face. "There's no way any human being could suppress those horrible memories if they just saw the cause of it all."

She didn't respond. Once again, she had caused her master trouble and didn't want to be a burden to him again.

He closed his eyes and shook his head angrily. "But I can't stand here and watch you suffer. For all we know, we're all we have left while they chase us down. And as my most faithful, and possibly only subordinate, I need to know your problems. It is the duty of the king to address the problems of his people, and now, I'm here to help you with your problems."

She couldn't help but feel guilty, but she also was able to let out a small smile. Though she was upset at herself for making her master worry, she felt a certain warmness, security and happiness from what he said. He cared for her. And that was keeping her going.

She stood up with the remaining strength she had and bowed. "Forgive me, Young Master. I am still weak. I will work on becoming stronger both physically and mentally so you will not have to worry about me anymore."

When she looked up, she saw the Ling's face had changed from that of a distressed mother to his usual carefree self. She couldn't help but smile, but ever so slightly, at his wide grin, and he seemed to notice, but did not make a comment.

"Don't worry, Lan Fan. You're not weak. In fact, I think you're one of the strongest people I know, physically and mentally," still expressing a wide grin.

She couldn't help but slightly blush at his compliment, but it wasn't noticeable in the cave.

But what he did next caused her face to turn as red as a rose. He walked up to her and hung his arm around her neck. She could see his grin. It was such a happy grin. It was as if her worries were melting away. Other than being worried that he saw her face...

And this he did. But he didn't feel like teasing her, knowing she needed to rest right now. "For now, get back to sleep. We will leave at sunset, and after that, who knows when we'll ever get a good night of sleep," insisting her to lie down where she was previously. She slowly found a position that was comfortable and closed her eyes.

It wasn't long until she had fallen into slumber. Ling found himself admiring her face. It was fatigued, but also showed a sense of serenity and grace to him.

_She looks beautiful..._ he thought to himself. But immediately shrugged the thought off. _That was random..._

He looked out from the cave and looked up to the sky. The sky was vacant of clouds and the sun shined brightly. But from afar, he could see a pall of smoke off in the distance. It appeared that it was the remains from a fire not too long ago. He just shrugged this off and started drifting to sleep, not even realizing that his arm was still around Lan Fan.

* * *

><p>Inside Central Command, the red-headed man was walking through the hall, carrying a box he needed to deliver to Mustang. Though he was a Second-Lieutenant, he had been assigned much less work than he had anticipated at first. He wondered how it would be as he made his way up the ranks of the military...<p>

Despite what some may believe, he has very little experience in military actions and is not from a foreign country. To him, Mustang was sharp to fake his whole resume to benefit him. But he wondered why the Brigadier-General went to all the trouble just to keep his identity a secret...

At that thought, he stumbled onto the ground of the hall, dropping his box of reports. He let out a sigh of annoyance and scrambled to pick up the papers. "Do you need some help?" a reassuring voice asked. He nodded his head as the woman knelt down to help pick up the papers. He noticed that it was Hawkeye, his superior's most trusted subordinate. He heard a few things about her being "the queen", but he never really understood the meaning of the nickname.

"So what are these reports for?"

He looked slightly startled. "I'm sorry, I'm not at the compliance to answer that. These are confidential and only Brigadier-General Mustang is allowed to see these reports," he answered stiffly. She chuckled at this. She remembered being as stiff as he when she began at Central. But she never had to really speak, because Mustang spoke most of the time, almost too much...

"Well, I'm sure the Brigadier-General will be pleased to see those reports," she smiled. He couldn't help but smile back at her as he picked up the last of the fallen reports.

"Thank you for your help, Lieutenant-Colonel. I hope to see you soon," he thanked, bowing to her before making his way to Mustang's office.

"I hope so too, Second-Lieutenant," she said as she waved her hand at him. She just realized she had forgotten to ask for his name. He had seemed like a nice kid to her and she believed there was something about him that reminded her of her current boss, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it at the moment...

"Hey Riza!" snapped her out of her thought as she turned to see the woman approach her. "It's not like you to blank out like that."

Hawkeye slightly jumped up, shocked, "Oh, Rebecca!" but then put on a smile, "There's just something I'm trying to figure out," she said. But before she could continue, Catalina interrupted.

"Hmm," smirking, "Does it have to do with the Brigadier-General by any chance?"

"No, it doesn't have to do with him. Just one of his new pupils."

Catalina was shocked that her friend answered so stoically, but was now curious about this person. "Who is this person? Is he good looking?"

"I guess he's not bad looking. But the only problem is: I don't know who he is."

Catalina jumped up, "WHAT? YOU DON'T KNOW SOMEONE AFFILIATED WITH-UGHMUGAH" she tried to say, garnering the attention of other officials within the vicinity. But her mouth was quickly covered by Hawkeye's hand.

"Let's talk somewhere else," the two moving to the adjacent library, which was nearly vacant with the exception of a sleeping librarian. The two took a seat at a table next to the window.

"Rebecca, you've got to keep quiet. This is a military office. You can't go yelling inside, or else everyone will know what's going on in your department."

Catalina looked, questioningly, "But shouldn't you all know what's happening with everyone so you can help each other?"

Hawkeye smiled solemnly. "Once upon a time, I thought like that too. But that was until I saw the way Central really works. Everyone is out to get higher and higher up the ladder until they reach Fuhrer. They don't care about those around them, but sometimes, they will use information against each other."

"Then is Mustang the same way?"

She looked almost upset, but took a deep breath before speaking. "No, he isn't like that. In fact, besides the Fuhrer himself, the Colonel is probably the only person who is caring about others and doesn't put his well-being and goals first," _That's why I..._

But then she heard a snicker from her friend. Not even looking towards her, she asked, "I said Colonel again, didn't I...?"

Catalina nodded rather cheerfully.

* * *

><p>"Thank you again, Brigadier-General," as the two walked out of the room. Many hours had past since night had fallen upon Central and the two had just concluded their meeting. Mustang smiled slightly at the enthusiasm of his charge. "Sorry about making you stay so late."<p>

"No problem, Second-Lieutenant," looking at his watch. "Oh shoot! I'm sorry, I have to get back home now. Can you lock up for me, or do you have to go somewhere?" Mustang asked.

It was true that he did have somewhere to go, but he decided not to say so. "I don't really have anywhere to go," catching the incoming keys on instinct.

"Thanks, I owe you one," already out the door. "Well, see you later," sprinting to the exit.

Once he finished locking up, he began walking through the street. He really owed Mustang for helping him for the past two months with training which helped him get his current status. He didn't know why the Brigadier-General went to the trouble to help him, but he didn't take it for granted, and took every possible chance to repay him.

He heard footsteps begin to creep behind him. He turned around to see a figure slowly emerge in the light. "Oh Caleb. Your still here," Mustang said as he made his way next to him.

He looked at him strangely. Mustang had never called him by his first name. But he decided to let it go as a slip-up. "Do you need anything, Brigadier-General?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you could come with me for a couple minutes," Mustang asked. "I need to talk to you about something. Here, let's go to the bar a couple of blocks down and-" but suddenly, the red-haired man started to laugh.

"I'm sorry, it was a good attempt, but you aren't Brigadier-General Mustang. First of all, he never addresses me by my first name in order to keep my identity a secret. Secondly, one of his most important secrets of being in the military is that no officer would ask you to go to a bar with him in the middle of the night," he answered, slowly taking a breath. "Now, I'd like to ask you something: who are you, and what do you want with me?" holding the handles of his pistols.

"Very sharp, Second Lieutenant Caleb Franz. I expected as much from you," his voice deepening and becoming more sinister. His shape began to change, but he stood back into the darkness, not allowing his appearance to be seen. This scared Caleb as he held up his pistol at the target, shaking his legs with tension.

"Now don't be afraid. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm actually here to discuss a few "matters" with you about your possible future," slowly disarming Franz and putting the gun down onto the ground before letting out an evil grin, which was all that was seen in the dim light.

* * *

><p><strong>I got through chapter 4! :D Even though it's shorter than I wanted it, I still hope you enjoyed it!<strong>

**I planned to update this a couple of weeks earlier, but I had some indecisions about what content to put this chapter.**

****It's finals week for me, hich means lack of sleep and studying. Hurray... :(****

**Also, there will be a major appearance in the next chapter. Who do you think it will be?**

**And thank you to the reviewer(s):**

**a writer of fics**

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